october 2010 primetime

Healthy Living

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• Keep on Dancing• navigating Health Care• Getting Your Beauty Sleep

t was a Saturday in August when I first met Linda Ciccone, the owner of Tracy Cic-cone Performing Arts, who is pictured on this month’s cover. She was shouting out instructions to dozens of dancers, from 4-year-olds to high school students, mimick-ing their dance moves and telling them to smile.

A few acts in, Linda climbed up the steps of the Garden City Gazebo, belly-danc-ing belt jingling away, and got the crowd on its feet.

It’s not often that I have occasion to say this - and mean it - but Linda could pass for the sister of her daughter Tracy. She looks unbelievable, and no one would guess she is in her sixties.

The secret? She never stops moving.The more inspiring seniors I meet, the more I discover that the “secret” to longevity

isn’t all that complex. Take Mary Ruggieri, for example. She turned 105 this year, and when I asked her how she’s done it, her answer is simple: no booze, and lots of fruits and veggies. Add in a little homemade pasta sauce and you’ve got a recipe for a long, healthy life.

Then there are folks who took a while to catch on. In this month’s doer’s profile, Joan Retsinas met a group of active seniors who have realized that there are ways to get healthy at any age. It’s never too late to jump on the exercise bandwagon.

Pr i m eTi m eOctober 2010

1944 Warwick Ave.Warwick, RI 02889

401-732-3100 FAX 401-732-3110

Distribution Special Delivery

PUBLISHERSBarry W. Fain, Richard G. Fleischer,

John Howell

EDITORMeg Fraser

[email protected]

MARKETING DIRECTOR Donna Zarrella

[email protected]

CREATIvE DIRECTORLinda Nadeau

[email protected]

PHOTO EDITORDarcie DiSaia

[email protected]

WRITERSSusan Contreras, Don Fowler, Don D’Amato,Matt Holmes, Joan Retsinas, Colby Cremins,

Mike Fink, Meg Chevalier, Cynthia Glinick, Joe Kernan

ADvERTISING REPRESENTATIvES

Donna Zarrella – [email protected]

Carolann Soder, Lisa Mardenli, Janice Torilli,Suzanne Wendoloski, Gina Fugere

CLASSIfIED ADvERTISING REPRESENTATIvES

Sue Howarth – [email protected] Mansolillo – [email protected]

PRODUCTION STAffMatt Bower, Joseph Daniels,

Brian Geary, Lisa Yuettner

A Joint Publication of East Side Monthlyand Beacon Communications.

PrimeTime Magazine is published monthly and is available at over 400 locations throughout Rhode Island. Letters to the editor are welcome. We will not print unsigned letters unless exceptional circumstances can be shown.

I inThisissue

SENIOR ISSUESA taste for healthy living ................................................................ 10The questions at the ballot box ................................................. 14

LIfESTYLESWhat do you Fink? ............................................................................. 13Gay & Gray.............................................................................................. 24That’s Entertainment ........................................................................ 25

PEOPLE AND PLACESAt 105, Ruggieri writes her own rulebook .................15Doer’s profile ..............................................................................21Glimpse of RI’s past .................................................................22

fOOD & DRINKFeeling the Flavor .............................................................................. 23

PROfESSIONAL PERSPECTIvEYour Taxes .....................................................................................................27

4 life is a party!Linda Ciccone keeps on dancing

6 age is just a numberSenior Centers around the stateget Rhode Islanders moving

8 What’s up doc?Don Fowler thinks backto a simpler time

9 Word on the streetQ&A with Corinne Russoof the Department of Elderly Affairs

11 difficult diagnosisBrown University calls for more geriatric specialists

16 counting sheep?Insomnia, exercise and longevity

onThecover

Linda Ciccone dances at Garden City.photo by Meg fraser

20 navigating medicare

The ins and outs of getting help for your health

More and more these days, people are realizing how important it is to stay active and eat healthy. Nationally, there’s a trend towards health awareness. Doctors are saying what they’ve always said: get a good night’s sleep, keep your heart rate up and eat your vegetables. Only now, it seems like more peo-ple are listening.

While we’ve got your attention, don’t forget to check out Mike Fink’s tale of min-gling with the gypsies, Don Fowler’s ideas for a weekend excursion and Russell Moore’s breakdown of what to expect at the ballot box.

Seniors are the largest growing segment of our population. By 2020, the Administra-tion on Aging says that there will be as many as 55 million older Americans. Clearly, we’re doing something right.

But that doesn’t come easy.In this issue of PrimeTime, you’ll read a

lot of tips to making your older years the best years of your life. Take our advice, because if people like Mary or Linda are any indication - life gets better with age.

nexTmonTh PrimeTime takes an interesting look at people who have gotten a second chance - at life, at work, or at finding happiness.

Meg Fraser editor

4 | PrimeTime October 2010 October 2010 PrimeTime | 5

“Life is a big party every day,” says Linda Ciccone,

smiling as she leans back in her seat behind the

counter of Tracy Ciccone Performing Arts.

b y M E G F R A S E R

l i f e ’S A Party!

Linda and her daughter Tracy, co-owners of the three-studio business, are known for teaching children everything from ballet to tap to hip-hop. Nowadays, though, Linda has her eye on a new clientele.

At the studio’s annual summer performance at Garden City Center in Cranston, Linda unveiled a group of women over the age of 50, clad in sexy skirts and jingling belts - performing a belly dancing routine for the very first time.

“It brought out the woman in them,” Linda said. “They started off just wanting to exercise, but with dance and fitness, I think you find your inner self.”

All of the women were beginners, but as Linda says, if someone has two feet, she can teach them.

“Women in their senior years can have all this - and smile all the time.”

Linda is 63 years old, but could pass as Tracy’s sister. She started dancing when she was just a little girl, and when she became pregnant for the first time, decided it was time for her passion to become her livelihood.

By opening a studio 38 years ago, Linda could spend more time with her children, and bring them to work as she shared her first love with them. Tracy took it and ran with it, going on to choreograph such big names as Gloria Estefan.

Now a grandmother, she continues to pass dance down.

“What other grandmother has that?” she asks.As she gets to keep her family close, at work and

at home, Linda puts an emphasis on bringing families into the studio. She has some clients who represent four generations of a single family. At the studios in Crans-ton, Coventry and North Providence, the second child in a family gets a 25 percent discount. The third child, and any child after that, dances for free.

A sign in the waiting room says it all - “Start as friends, leave as family.”

Targeting parents and grandparents of the young dancers is something Linda is still working on. She hears a lot of older women say they’re “too old,” or point to health problems as excuses.

More than 10 years ago, Linda had a bad fall, and eventually had to undergo hip replacement surgery. That didn’t stop her.

“There’s no excuse not to dance. You’re never too old to dance,” she said. “You’ve just got to keep on mov-ing.”

Rather than going to a gym, Linda advocates for going somewhere where there is more individual atten-tion. At Tracy Ciccone Performing Arts, Linda offers a class called Dance Your Stress Off, which has been a huge hit with adults.

“I wanted to draw in the type of women who just wanted to feel comfortable and move and keep their heart rate going,” she said. “I know there’s more women out there who want to do what we’re doing.”


health and wellness

Linda is also starting an adult tap class. The belly dancing came in after her 97-year-old mother gave it a try. Seeing that it was a great way to exercise for her, Linda reached out to Dance Oasis in Warwick and took a few classes on her own.

She loved it, and decided to bring it back to her own studio.

“I know that I can pass it down to these women in their 40s, in their 50s, in their 60s, in their 70s. The fitness is in there, but I like to bring out the confidence in them,” she said.

When it comes to confidence, Linda appears to have it in spades. She takes the stage and commands at-tention, beaming out at the audience as she effortlessly moves across the dance floor.

More than dancing, though, she says it’s about feel-ing good and finding a balance. For her, dance is an op-portunity to stay in shape and get some much-needed time away from everyday stress.

Linda says she wouldn’t change a thing.“I’m embracing life. I’m going to keep on going un-

til I can’t go anymore,” she said, adding with a smile, “It’s the journey that hasn’t ended yet - stay tuned.” ■

6 | PrimeTime October 2010 PrimeTime | 7

just a number

AGe iS . . . b y P A T R I C K T R O U v E

There’s no doubt that there’s an emphasis today on

healthy living, but often times, seniors are left out of the

fitness discussion. In Rhode Island, senior centers around

the state are finding innovative ways to get their members

in shape and on the move.

I

6 | PrimeTime October 2010 PrimeTime | 7

health and wellness

n Woonsocket, Susan Sgambato from Senior Services works as a wellness program manager. Through federal grants, the Woonsocket Senior Center has managed to expand their programs, both physical and educational, to accom-modate all seniors.

Sgambato stressed that, with transportation being an issue for many seniors, it is important to offer programs in their community where seniors can go to get the exercise they need.

“We go to senior residences and see that these people have challenges with trans-portation,” explained Sgambato. “With the lack of transportation, they give up some fitness opportunities. By bringing programs to them, they’re happy to find something in the place they live that they can participate in.”

She explained that, although the programs offered — whether it be line dancing, chair exercises or the Zoomba classes coming next month — are well attended, the biggest hurdle in getting seniors there is to help them understand that they’re never too old to change their lifestyle.

“We have to get the seniors past the notion that they’re too old to do anything that will make any difference in their quality of life,” said Sgambato. “We give them the tools they need to stay healthy and live in their community the way they want to. That makes them interested and interested in making healthy choices.”

As Sgambato explained, it is more important for seniors to get out and participate in these programs than anybody else.

“Studies show that seniors have more to gain by being active,” she said. “They can see substantial changes in their quality of life. Getting out and coming to a program – getting that socialization – is huge for a senior.”

In Warwick, Pat Seltzer, the city’s Community Wellness Nurse, works at the Pilgrim Senior Center to promote health and wellness, on top of checkups. At the center, low impact aerobics, chair exercises, line dancing and even tap dancing are available.

These classes are all well attended, oftentimes requiring the use of the center’s large dining area to accommodate all of the participants. Seltzer credits the large participa-tion to a better awareness of the importance of being healthy to live longer.

“Most seniors, even if they don’t participate, have the idea that you have to be ac-

tive. They need to participate in more vigorous activities to maintain what they have,” she said. “I believe there’s an awareness that they need to be on top of their own health care. That is a message we promote, that you are your own advocate.”

Pat Shurtleff, director of Coventry’s Department of Human Services and Senior Center, believes that being involved in not only physical activities, but also mental activities will only serve to benefit the senior. The Coventry Senior Center hosts weekly presentations by nurses and URI nursing and nutrition students about staying healthy.

“There’s no reason for a senior to say, ‘I’m over the hill now.’ You can be whatever you want to be,” said Shurtleff. “You need socialization; you need cognitive stimula-tion, physical stimulation, nutrition. You need to look at all aspects of your lifestyle.”

Shurtleff noted that with some of the younger seniors wanting to participate in physical programs outside of the actual Senior Center, they have partnered with local fitness centers to receive discount prices on certain aerobic classes.

The Coventry center maintains a walking club and, perhaps their most popular activity, a bi-weekly yoga class.

“I am amazed at the number of people taking the yoga class; it’s as full as it can be,” Shurtleff said. “It’s consistent, they come twice a week. I hope I have some of the energy that some of these 75-year-olds have at that age.”

One of the biggest changes Shurtleff has noticed of participants in the center’s programs is the desire for information. She has seen that, unlike in past years, seniors are more likely to ask questions about their medication or diagnosis.

“They’re asking for the information as opposed to us giving it,” Shurtleff said. “Peo-ple did not want to question doctors, diagnosis, or medication. That’s all changed. They’re asking what other things they can do to help themselves. People are much more aware and more willing to ask questions. We encourage that.”

At senior centers throughout the state, Rhode Islanders are staying healthy and staying young.

“People would assume at a certain age they can’t do things anymore,” Shurtleff said. “Age isn’t the issue; you need to keep going until your last day.” ■

I


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mail entries to: Beacon communications1944 Warwick ave., Warwick, ri 02889attn: I Found It!or_send_an_e-mail_to:[email protected]

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What’s up, doc?b y D O N F O W L E R health and wellness

emember the days when people died of “natural causes,” and never knew they had kidney stones, gall

stones, enlarged prostates and spleens, type 2 diabetes, GERD, or a dozen other ailments that went undetected by their

doctors?Today, we have instant access to MRI’s, CAT

Scans, colonoscopies, endoscopies, DNA testing, and another dozen machines and testing devices that find problems that we didn’t care to know

about.When I was young, I had a pediatrician. As a teenager, I graduated to a primary

doctor. They are a rare breed these days, especially in Rhode Island, where medical school graduates opt for the more lucrative specialties.

In my senior years, I have gone from one doctor to 10, and that’s not including my dentist and dietician.

I now see a urologist, dermatologist, podiatrist, periodontist and cardiologist, in addition to check-ups by specialists for my diabetes, ostomy, aortic aneurism and bad back. And they all send reports to my primary doctor.

That doesn’t count frequent visits to the clinic for blood tests.And I’m still active and feel relatively well for my 73 years!A friend of mine told me that his primary social activity is waiting in doctors’

offices, and his reading list consists of year-old People Magazines and Sports Il-lustrated.

Remember the good old days? If you had a headache, toothache, backache, sore neck, common cold, flu, or just didn’t feel right, you took two aspirin, and maybe had a bowl of your mother’s chicken soup.

Today, at least one pharmacy aisle (both sides) is devoted to just pain killers, with more behind the counter requiring a prescription.

It wasn’t that long ago when pharmaceutical companies only advertised directly to doctors and pharmacists, buying ads in their magazines and dropping off free samples and pens, pads, and a plethora of gadgets to promote their products.

The freebies still exist, but now our magazines, newspapers and television shows are bombarded with ads for cures for everything from paper cuts to acid reflux.

Remember when you used to get together with friends and relatives and talk about other friends and relatives, your jobs, sports, children and new recipes?

Today, the leading subject of discussion centers around aches, pains, hair and hearing loss, and number of trips per day to the bathroom.

Excuse me, it’s my pharmacy calling with an automated reminder to pick up my monthly prescription renewal - if I could only remember which one. And there’s a message on the answering machine reminding me of my doctor’s appoint-ment tomorrow. I thought it was next week.

Good thing I still have my memory intact. Now where did I put my car keys?I could go on, but it’s time to take my afternoon pills that I was supposed to

take this morning. ■

R

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WorD on the STreeT b y M E G F R A S E R health and wellness

Q&A with

CorinneCalise russo

“To preserve the independence, dignity

and capacity for choice for seniors, adults

with disabilities, families and caregivers.”

That is the mission statement of the Rhode Island Department of Elderly Affairs, and a mantra for its Director, Corinne Calise Russo.

Between elections, health care reform and cuts to programs across the state, 2010 has been a hectic year for Rhode Islanders, and for seniors in particular. Here, Russo gives an overview of some of the key issues affecting seniors and how the state will continue to provide support for older residents.

Q What are the biggest concerns you’re hearing from seniors right now?One of our greatest concerns right now is late onset diabetes. We’re out working with the Department of Health to be able to train and counsel older people in diet, exercise and managing diabetes. I think that when we look at our older population, we want to keep this growing population functioning at their highest level so we are promoting all kinds of well-ness programs; certainly we’re promoting flu shots and being able to help people with exercise, with stress relief and also with managing some of their chronic illnesses.

Q What are the red flags for late onset diabetes?First of all they should be checking with their physicians very frequently and looking for additional weight gain, which causes late onset diabetes. We are trying to assist the medical community in managing this with older people. We also work with our nutrition program to try to maintain good nutrition amongst our older people. It’s very, very important that we encourage and we support older people in programs that keep them moving and keep them functioning.

Q With municipal budgets stretched thin, many programs for seniors are on the chopping block. What can the state do to supplement any diminished services?

Part of the funding that we receive from the Older Americans Act is fund-ing for health promotion and health prevention programs. We have a block of funding that we initiate an RFP (Request for Proposal) on, and local agencies will respond to the RFP. Certainly there’s not enough to fund every community, but they can provide a regional program. We’re also partner-ing with the Department of Health and some of the new funding they have received from the Administration on Aging to train local volunteers. We’re always looking to help older people take responsibility for their health.

Q With election season upon us, what do you think seniors should know about candidates before casting their ballot?

I think that they need to sit and ask the question to the candidate; ‘what is their concern in their particular community’? I know that through the listening sessions that we have had throughout the state with regard to the future needs of older people, it seems as though the greatest need for older people becomes transportation. We do need to work on that and develop better systems in order to keep people in the community, but also make the service available so that they can be able to access the programs and services.

Q What should older Americans be aware of in regard to health care reform?As far as health care reform for people this year, they will be receiving - for those of whom will be facing what we call the donut hole - they will be receiving the $250. But for the future, what they need to do is come to any and all programs that are provided in the community where we will be pro-viding very good training on guidelines within the new health care reform. We are now partnering with AARP and will be providing informational ses-sions. People need to begin to attend these trainings and learn about the new guidelines and how it will impact their third party reimbursements.

Q At what age should people begin to think about their long term care plans?

It’s a very individual question because we should all, at all ages and stages of our lives, begin to plan for the future. For older people who are facing the age of 60, and knowing that within five or seven years they will be think-ing about collecting Social Security or living in a different environment or having to purchase different health care products, it’s at that age that people should begin to become better informed about the options that are there in the community.

Q Many aging Americans have the duel responsibility of caring for older parents. Are you finding that the caregivers’ needs are being put on the backburner?

We are very concerned about caregiver issues and we are very concerned about supporting caregivers. If we don’t care for the caregiver, than the cli-ent he or she is caring for will have no support. We do offer programs and services for caregivers. We partner with adult day care programs to provide respite; we have a respite program that is funded through the Administra-tion on Aging. There is a growing population of middle-aged people and older people who are caring for and about a person whose functioning has changed. They need to reach out to us so that we know who they are and how we can help them.

Q Long-term care can be overwhelming. Where should Rhode Islanders start?

In working with The Point, we have very skilled and knowledgeable staff people who are able to help people at any stage in their long-term care. That’s a wonderful starting point. It’s a wonderful place to go when a person says, ‘I know I need help but I don’t know what type of help I need.’ That is often times so much better than us directing a caregiver to a website. Caregivers need to be able to touch someone, they need to be able to talk to someone, they need to feel as though someone is listening to them and pay-ing attention to their needs. ■

health and wellness


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A Taste for Healthy living“Food is love.”That’s the philosophy conveyed by Libby

Sarro, administrator of Riverview Healthcare Community in Coventry. With a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition and a Master’s degree in hospitality from Johnson & Wales, Sarro has a background that is unlike many in her field, and she draws upon it in her ap-proach to health care.

“When you get nursing home residents to eat, 90 percent of your problems go away. Life is good,” she said.

Upon her arrival at Riverview three years ago, Sarro was confronted with complaints about the food.

“It was the biggest issue brought to me by our Residents’ Council. Meals weren’t eaten. There was a tremendous amount of waste. The menu hadn’t been changed in a long time,” she recalled.

So Sarro and her staff set out to change things. Riverview now offers seven dining rooms, its own restaurant, room service, stocked kitchens on every floor and on any given day, visitors may be greeted by the smell of freshly baked cookies or hot buttered pop-corn.

Food is no longer delivered to the dining room on trays, hospital style.

Ambiance counts, as does variety and fresh-ness. Though the 192-bed skilled nursing fa-cility exists to care for people with a variety of health care needs, Sarro and her staff strive to

senior issues b y K E R R Y P A R K

run the facility like a five-star hotel.Implementing a plan that provides a mul-

titude of choices and culinary events wasn’t easy in a 92,000-square-foot building that ca-ters to a variety of frail populations with dif-ferent dietary requirements. Thanks to a staff that shares her vision however, Sarro now claims her dining program a success.

“When I walk through the dining rooms now, the plates are clean. Everything is eaten and we don’t hear complaints,” she said.

She and Riverview Culinary Director John Hendrickson help train other skilled nursing facilities on how to elevate the dining experi-ence of their residents.

Sarro notes that as debilitating illnesses or chronic conditions take hold of individuals, they begin to lose their independence.

“What they want to eat, where they want to eat…those are some of the things that they can control, and as much as possible, they should,” she said.

She is quick to point out that the availabil-ity of Riverview’s dining options is the result of a team effort.

Activity Director Coreen St. Jean, for example, developed the idea for 546 Main Street, and took it upon herself to oversee what is now Riverview’s newest adventure in dining - a restaurant staffed daily by the ac-tivities department where residents and fami-lies have restaurant-style dining available to them to enable them to get away from their

normal routine.She also organizes annual events like the

Senior Ball, which catered to more than 300 residents, families and other guests last spring. They consumed more than 2,000 appetizers created by the staff and 10 cases of cham-pagne, no small undertaking to prepare for. This fall she will help host the annual Hal-loween Bash, which routinely attracts up to 400 people.

Likewise, on any given day, Hendrickson may be found food shopping for an individual resident’s request or working with the activity department to include residents in meal prep-aration. Each month he also hosts “Cooking with John” that draws a crowd of 50 to 60 residents and family members. Like St. Jean and other members of the staff, he under-stands that engaging nursing home residents in activities that involve food enhances their culinary experience at Riverview.

That, in turn, boosts their overall health and well being.

The culture change movement in nursing homes has placed a great deal of emphasis on enhancing the dining experience. Most skilled nursing facilities have undergone extensive changes in how and what their residents are served. There’s no question that Riverview’s staff believes in Sarro’s approach. All their ef-forts indicate that they too believe, “Food is love.” ■

CAlenDAr of evenTS

Get pamperedNational Spa Week will take over Rhode Island from Oct. 11 to 17. At that time, participating spas will provide signature services to consumers for just $50, saving any-where from $30 to $400. Participat-ing businesses include The Spa at Newport Marriott and Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Regency Newport. For a complete list of participants, go to www.spaweek.com. Appoint-ments are already being booked, so don’t waste any time.

Meet thecandidatesThe Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island will host a forum on senior issues for gubernatorial candidates on Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The forum will take place at the Cathedral of St. John, Synod Hall, at 271 North Main Street in Providence. Topics to be discussed include aging in the community, free and reduced transportation for seniors and in-creasing home and community-based services. For more informa-tion, contact Bill Flynn at 952-6527 or by e-mail at [email protected].


b y M E G F R A S E R

DiffiCulT DiAGnoSiSBrown University calls for more geriatric specialists

here are approxi-mately 40 mil-lion Americans over the age of

65, and that popu-lation continues to grow. According to the Administration on Aging, by 2020, there will be as many as 55 million older Americans – a 36 per-cent increase.

Of that group, says the National Center for Health Statistics, most older Americans

have at least one chronic health condition.And yet, geriatricians are tough to come by.“I think we are an ageist society and that has

negative effects, but I think in medicine it’s some-thing much more straightforward,” said Dr. Richard Besdine, director of the Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research at Brown University Medi-cal School. “The average medical school graduate in America is now graduating with more than a quarter of a million dollars worth of debt. With indebtedness like that, the pressure to earn enough money to start paying back your debt so you can at least die with a clear conscious is pretty substantial.”

Dr. Richard Besdine

T In 2007, 93 percent of seniors were covered by Medicare. That distinction makes senior patients less desirable for physicians with hefty student debt.

“Right here in Rhode Island, reimbursement for physician services is among the lowest in the nation. Both nationally and locally, it’s astounding that any-one goes into the field given what the reimbursement is,” Besdine said.

Still, for doctors like Besdine, the rewards out-weigh the costs.

Besdine was studying infectious disease at Harvard Medical School in his early 30s when he discovered an interest for geriatrics.

“For me, I think the intellectual part was that as a smart, young Harvard-trained intern, I found the most challenging patients, who were most complicat-ed to figure out, were also the most rewarding when you got it right,” he said.

What he discovered next, however, was a lack of opportunity in the field. That was in 1972. Before long, Besdine was bound for Europe to study geron-tology.

Upon his return to the states, he made it his mis-sion to improve geriatric medicine.

“I’ve spent my career building programs to attract and train physicians in optimal care for older people,” he said.

Besdine came to Brown in 2000, and at one time was the dean of the medical school. Here in Rhode Island, he’s hoping to shed light on the importance of

geriatric specialists.“It’s equally or more important to train every

health professional in adequate care of older people,” he said. “There are huge needs for physicians with ex-pertise in care of older people.”

Part of the hesitation, beyond financial, is the pre-vailing attitudes surrounding aging in America.

“Everybody’s afraid of getting old. Part of that fear is one of misunderstanding. The attitude is that anything bad that happens during old age is due to aging,” Besdine said.

So many people are living longer, though, due in large part to an increased consciousness of health and wellness. Although there is much discussion on the nation’s “obesity epidemic,” Besdine says heart attacks are actually down 50 percent since 1960.

If these trends continue, the demand for geriatri-cians will likewise continue to rise.

And as long as the demand calls for it, Besdine will keep working to improve the field.

“I think older people are really interesting, they have wonderful stories to tell – they are our history and you can learn a huge amount talking to older people,” he said. “I really love what I do.”

health and wellness

Get pamperedNational Spa Week will take over Rhode Island from Oct. 11 to 17. At that time, participating spas will provide signature services to consumers for just $50, saving any-where from $30 to $400. Participat-ing businesses include The Spa at Newport Marriott and Stillwater Spa at the Hyatt Regency Newport. For a complete list of participants, go to www.spaweek.com. Appoint-ments are already being booked, so don’t waste any time.

Meet thecandidatesThe Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island will host a forum on senior issues for gubernatorial candidates on Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. The forum will take place at the Cathedral of St. John, Synod Hall, at 271 North Main Street in Providence. Topics to be discussed include aging in the community, free and reduced transportation for seniors and in-creasing home and community-based services. For more informa-tion, contact Bill Flynn at 952-6527 or by e-mail at [email protected].

12 | PrimeTime October 2010

“Even in this recession, we’re expanding and

hiring.”Michael Nula ’96, M.S. ’01

Owner, Elite Physical Therapy

When he was a URI student,

Michael Nula took chemistry

courses. Today he owns a

successful Rhode Island physical

therapy practice with three

branches—and his business is

growing.

Forty percent of the majors

offered at URI require the study of

chemistry. As the building block

of science, chemistry is essential

to the mastery of many other

disciplines, and up-to-date

chemistry facilities are necessary

to give our students the training

they need for good jobs in growth

industries like healthcare,

biotechnology, and engineering.

On November 2, Question 2 on

the Rhode Island ballot lets you

approve a bond issue for higher

education, which includes a new

Center for Chemical and Forensic

Sciences at URI.

Vote Yes on 2 on Nov. 2.

It’s essential to Rhode Island’s future.

CAlenDAr of evenTSClam Cakes& Chowda!Show your support for Issue 4 on the Nov. 2 Ballot and relive the good old days at the Rocky Point Rally. Meet the voice of Rocky Point, see displays and video from the park and share your memories. Friday, October 15, 6:30 PM, Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, Cranston, RI. Tickets are just $15 and are available at the Warwick Museum of Art, the Warwick Beacon office, 1944 Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI or go to getthepoint.org.

Wheels keepturningThe Blackstone Valley Lei-surely Bicycle Tours will be held on Saturdays, Oct. 9 and 16, and will take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. The tours travel at an unhurried pace, stopping often and are appropriate for all fitness levels. Blackstone Valley Tourism Council President Dr. Robert Billington will lead the tours, which depart from the Blackstone Valley Visitor Center at 175 Main Street in Pawtucket. The cost is $20 per person, and in-cludes free parking, a bottle of water and an energy bar. Reserve a space by going to www.tourblackstone.com or call 724-2200 for more infor-mation.

Get involved!Southern Rhode Island Vol-unteers (previously known as Seniors Helping Others) serves as a clearinghouse for volunteer opportunities with 110 non-profit com-munity partners. Positions that are currently available include Friendly Visitors with SRI Volunteers in the Richmond area, front desk volunteers at Branford Jon-nycake Center of Westerly, events assistant at the Rich-mond Senior Center, men-tors for mothers at Families First Rhode Island, several positions at South County Conservancy and a clerical post at North Kingstown Chamber of Commerce. For more information on how to get involved, call 789-2362 or e-mail [email protected]. Visit www.southern-rivol.org for details.


liFestYlesWHAT Do You finK? b y M I K E F I N K

I ran away with the gypsiese president Sarkozy sent the Roma squatters back to Rumania. Gives me a chance to review my life with the gypsies in Paris and also in Provi-dence. My souvenir starts right in my backyard.

Yes, the gypsies camped out at the end of Camp Street and set up tents just beyond our cobblestones and backyard. My boyhood dream was to run away and join their caravan; to escape the confines of my family.

A lifetime later, I was in France and visited the Pompidou Center on the eve of my departure on Air France. A band of musicians, no, not on horses with covered wagons, but with grown-up tricycles loaded with instruments from con-certinas to mandolins, had taken over a corner spot in front of a bar.

With the swiftness of inspiration, and to show off my command of the lan-guage, I asked them boldly, “May I sing along with you? I know a few old French songs and also some American lyrics about your people, as we see you.” “Oui, bien sur, but first you must buy us each a glass of wine,” they answered. I was glad to treat them to the red or white, and then I managed to get through, “Le Chemin des Oliviers” (The Street of Olive Trees) and some fine phrases from “Golden Earrings” and “In a Quaint Caravan,” the old hit parade classics as Dietrich and Sinatra popularized them.

After this brief interlude, the gypsies, or gitanes, or tsiganes, asked me to join them for dinner.

“But you must stop and get some cigarettes for us,” they commanded, and then I mounted the back of an ancient and ailing motorbike, and off we went clattering among some back alleys. “Sshh!” they whispered, or was it actually more of a shout?

We entered a bleak and dark housing unit, and using only flashlight, they guided me to an almost empty apartment where, clearly, they did not legally be-long. I touched the pocket that held my passport, papers and money, uncertain but strangely confident as well.

They put together a simple but fine supper, spaghetti and baguette, salad and such, straightforward fare along with the Gauloises I had purchased for the oc-casion. The metro had already closed down for the night, and I got back to my hotel on that same perch behind the driver’s seat of the motobecane, and I had to promise to invite them to Providence and to introduce them to our local gypsy community. I had once upon a time produced and directed a show on channel 36 about the gypsies among us, and l knew where they lived. Perhaps I could earn their respect and trust if I could show up at their storefronts with a troupe of my own. My mother had come to Providence from Rumania. I had always hoped to establish a bond with the romantic Roma performers who had added an alternative tone to the old Europe.

The only evidence I have of that evening in Paris is an envelope of snapshots as proof of the reality of a fantasy come true. But as I read of the current revul-sion in modern Paris against the people who cling to their own traditions, who reject the values of most of us, and who bring something of the spirituality of India hidden among their less attractive traits – to the good citizens of the re-spectable streets – it’s with secret pride that I belong to both worlds.

At least, I did on that soiree in Paris.

The only evidence I have of that evening in Paris is anenvelope of snapshots as proof of the reality of a fantasy come true

“”

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senior issues b y R U S S E L L J . M O O R E

the questions at the ballot boxVoters will be asked to decide on four questions when they head to the ballot box on Nov. 2.

Rhode Islanders will be asked if they support changing the name of the state from “The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,” to simply “Rhode Island.”

Proponents of the change believe the current name harkens back memories of the state’s shameful participation in the slave trade. Those who oppose the change say the word “plantations” has nothing to do with racism, and instead pays homage to the state’s agricultural past. Also, more than one person has said they like the fact that the smallest state has the longest name.

Voters will then be asked to spend some serious cash on projects that supporters say will significantly improve Rhode Island. If voters are to approve the next three ballot questions, they’ll put Rhode Island on the hook for an additional $177.4 mil-lion - plus interest.

Whether or not that money will be well spent, however, is a question the voters must decide for themselves.

The second ballot question asks voters to sell bonds worth $78 million to improve higher education. Of that $78 million, $61 million will be spent “for the construction of a new chemistry building at the University of Rhode Island.” An ad-ditional $17 million will be spent on the renovation and construction of an addition to the Arts Center at Rhode Island College.

In the third ballot question, and this has become a staple in Rhode Island over the last several elections, voters will be asked to sell $80 million in bonds in order to match federal funds to repair the state’s roads, highways and bridges.

Despite the fact that Rhode Island has one of the highest gas taxes in the coun-try, the state relies almost solely on the bond referendums to capture the matching federal funding for roads.

To approve that question voters will also have to agree to sell an additional $4.7 million in order to purchase and rehabilitate buses for the Rhode Island Public Tran-sit Authority (RIPTA). In other words, voters will have to agree to further subsidize the transit authority, which isn’t self-sufficient.

Next, voters will have to turn their attention to open space purchases across the state. In a package deal, voters will be asked to buy open space.

If they approve the question, Rhode Islanders will spend $10 million to acquire all of, or portions of, what most fondly remember as Rocky Point in Warwick.

As part of that same question, an additional $3.2 million in bonds will be sold to purchase the property known as the old “Shooters” property, adjacent to India Point Park. An additional $1.5 million will be used to renovate and improve Fort Adams in Newport.

Quite ironically, the question that has garnered the most discussion this year isn’t actually on the ballot. Instead, the referendum question that’s garnered the most attention in print, on the airwaves, and on the Internet is the question of casino gambling. The legislature passed a bill that would ask voters to make Twin River and Newport Grand full-fledged casinos.

But the bill passed by a thin margin in the Senate, and Senate Majority Leader Teresa Paiva-Weed (D-Newport, Jamestown) voted against the bill on the grounds that her Newport constituents didn’t want it.

So when Governor Donald Carcieri vetoed it, the bill was dead.As for the initiatives that actually are on the ballot, it remains an open question

as to whether or not Rhode Islanders will be willing to pony up such a significant amount of money to construct buildings, buy open space, and improve roads and bridges.

The state of Rhode Island currently has a total bonded-indebtedness of $8.4 billion - and that debt doesn’t even include massive unfunded liabilities such as the pension fund obligations. As part of the state’s GDP, Rhode Island has the highest bonded indebtedness in the nation. Per capita, Rhode Island ranks the fifth highest state in the red.

It’s not out of the question that voters may take those factors into account and say “no thanks” to any additional debt.

On the other hand, Rhode Islanders may very well see that number and decide, what’s another $177.4 million more amongst us friends? ■

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At 105, ruggieri wites her own rulebook

b y M E G F R A S E R PEOPLE and PLaCES

Mary Ruggieri has heard a lot of advice for living a long life, but she’s not buying it. She makes her own rules.

“You don’t need to exercise; you exercise by working,” Mary said.

She celebrated her 105th birthday in July.

It was Mary’s work ethic that got her so far. Born on July 21, 1905, she grew up in Cranston. After marrying her husband Jo-seph in 1925, she worked the cash register at Ruggieri’s & Sons on Cranston Street. It was a fam-ily affair there, with Joseph man-aging the store and their three sons stocking shelves.

“We did the bull work, she took the money,” said Eddie Ruggieri, laughing as he thought back to their days at the market.

Watching their parents at work, the Ruggieri sons learned a lot. Joseph Jr. says he never for-got the lessons his mother taught him.

“Hard work will never kill you,” he said.

Mary and Joseph were mar-ried for 60 years, and Mary made sure that all four of her boys were on the straight and narrow.

“Live well is number one,” said Mary, who doesn’t drink alcohol. “Eat good food and work hard.”

Growing up, Joseph and Ed-die say they could always expect a hot meal at the end of the day.

“She’s the old fashioned type. She felt you have to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables to live a long life,” Eddie said.

Nodding in agreement, Jo-seph said eggplant Parmesan and homemade sauce are just two of Mary’s many specialties.

Bowling was another strong suit. Mary was a regular at Town Hall Lanes, where she bowled at least twice a week up until two years ago.

“I bowled for years. I can’t even count how many,” she said.

A grandmother to five and great-grandmother to nine, Mary now lives at Pocasset Bay Manor in Johnston, and makes the trip over to Town Hall Lanes whenever she can to visit with her friends.

“I know a lot of people. Thank God for that. I am friendly with everybody,” Mary said with a smile. “I come just to see the peo-ple. They’re my family; I’ve been with them so long.”

After greeting the birthday

girl, bowler Laura Marrocco said Mary was in her 90s and a Town Hall regular by the time she start-ed. Without fail, Marrocco said Mary always managed to beat her scores.

“She’s very sharp,” Marrocco said. “She could be a hot sketch.” ■

REUNITING WITH OLD fRIENDS: Mary Ruggieri (center) was a regular at Town Hall Lanes until she was 103. She celebrated her 105th birthday this year, and here, is con-gratulated by friends and fellow bowlers Irene Calicchia and Joseph Gauch.

A SWEET CELEBRATION: Mary Ruggieri has never had much of a sweet tooth, but in honor of her 105th birth-day, Town Hall Lanes and Pocasset Bay Manor, where she lives, bought massive cakes to help celebrate. Rug-gieri said she’d prefer fruits and vegetables to sweets, which is part of her secret to longevity.


CounTinG SHeep?b y c a r o ly n n u t o v i c , c e r t i f i e d p e r s o n a l t r a i n e r

It doesn’t take a scientist or medical professional to iden-tify the importance of sleep for overall health, as poet Wil-liam Wordsworth describes in “To Sleep”:

...Without Thee what is all the morning’s wealth?

Come, blesséd barrier between day and day,

Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health!

I n s o m n i a , e xe rc i s e a n d l o n g e v i t y

nsomnia is the third most frequent health complaint in the United States, and adults age 60 and over suffer from in-somnia more than any other age group. Researchers suspect that age-related changes in sleep phases and patterns, as well

as various medical conditions play a role, especially those related to pain. In fact, about one third of individuals older than 65 have chronic insomnia, according to sleep expert Carlos Schenck, MD.

So do you have to simply accept the fact that because you’re getting older you’ll have trouble falling asleep, or staying asleep? In 2003, the National Sleep Foundation conducted a large-scale poll of Americans between the ages of 55 and 84 to learn more about their sleep behaviors in relation to their overall health, activities, moods and outlooks on life. They surveyed 1,506 people and dis-covered that the better the person’s overall health, the better his or her sleep, and vice versa.

On the other hand, the greater the number of medical condi-tions, the more likely it was for the person to report sleep problems. The survey also found those with more active lifestyles and a more positive outlook on life tended to have fewer sleep complaints.

What is the connection between exercise and sleep? James Fries, M.D., author of “Living Well: Taking Care of

Yourself in the Middle and Later Years,” writes, “Physical exercise is the most important promoter of good deep sleep. Our bodies are designed to be used, then rested, then used again. You need to be physically tired at the end of the day to sleep well.” All the experts echo the positive impact of exercise on sleep.

If you’re currently sedentary, have limiting medical conditions, or are returning from an exercise hiatus, you should consult your physician before starting an exercise regimen. Once you’re cleared to begin, Dr Fries recommends stretching, strengthening, and aerobic exercise.

Start slowly and gradually work up to longer workouts. For exam-ple, set a heart rate target goal of 60 percent of your maximum for 15 to 30 minutes twice a week. The way to determine this is 220 minus your age, times 60 percent. If you are 70 years old, for instance, that figure would be 90 beats per minute. You can measure this in 30 second increments then multiply by 2, or purchase a heart rate monitor. Also, many larger pieces of gym equipment have built-in heart rate monitors. Dr. Fries believes mature adults need aerobic exercise more than ever, and offers this advice: “Some people worry that they have only so many heartbeats in a lifetime and that exercise will increase their heart rates and use them up. In fact, because of the decrease in resting heart rate, the fit individual uses 10 to 25 percent fewer heartbeats in the course of a day.”

There are many ways to get the combination of stretching, strength-ening, and aerobic exercise Dr. Fries advocates. Samples of stretching exercises are shown in the National Institute on Aging’s guide to exercise and physical activity. These are crucial at the beginning and end of every workout because they help loosen up joints and muscles beforehand, and prevent stiffness afterward.

With regard to aerobic exercise, if you haven’t been exercising at all, start by walking two to three times a week for 15 to 20 minutes and gradually increase the number of times a week and duration of each ses-sion over a four-week period. If you start out winded in the first week, but are bored by week four, you can jog slowly or vary your route. Fit-ness classes in the swimming pool are also a good overall workout and are easy on your joints. Some people enjoy riding a stationary bike. Chair-based exercise is another great alternative. If you need to improve

I

October 2010 PrimeTime | 17 16 | PrimeTime October 2010

health and wellness

your balance and aerobic capacity, chair-based exercise is the safest way to begin, even before walking. Remember, start gently and go slowly. If you’re sore, substitute one activity for another.

From sedentary to climbing a mountain? It’s hard to imagine, but you’ve lived long enough to appre-

ciate that change takes time. Change is best achieved in smaller increments, and it starts with an “I can” attitude. You can begin to exercise, or improve the regimen you already have. All the experts agree: exercise during the day can improve the quality of shuteye you get at night.

If you’re having trouble going to sleep, or if you’re waking in the middle of the night unable to fall back asleep, consider your diet and the amount of exercise you currently get. Try to make some simple adjustments like exercising twice a week and cutting back on caffeinated beverages. Keep notes on your aver-age daily routine and be honest with yourself about what you eat and drink, the medications you take, and the amount of physi-cal activity you engage in. Take questions to your next doctor’s visit. Be proactive-it’s your health and longevity.

Carolyn Nutovic is a certified personal trainer with the National Academy of Sports Medicine and a customer service representative at VQ ActionCare. For more information, visit www.vqactioncare.com. Carolyn may be contacted at (877) 368-6800 or via e-mail at [email protected]. ■


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navigating Medicareealth care reform has sparked nationwide debate, but as politicians take elec-tion season jabs at one another, seniors across the state are questioning how the changes will affect them - and their Medicare.

At the Westbay State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), Chris Murphy is meeting more and more clients who are looking for help to navigate the health care system.

“I think people see that there’s an increase in health care costs for themselves, wheth-er it’s the prescription drugs or the premiums, so people want to make the correct choice for themselves,” Murphy said, noting that more so than ever before, Rhode Islanders are arming themselves with information before they become eligible at the age of 65. “Peo-ple are coming in well before they’re 65. That’s critical, to see what their options are.”

Medicare is broken into four major parts: Part A being hospital insurance, Part B being medical insurance, Part C being Medicare Advantage Plans and Part D being prescription drug coverage.

Despite the sense of public fear over how health care reform will impact seniors at home, Medicare is, by and large, the same. But when it comes to how to pay for medical expenses, that fear is very real, especially with Part B premiums going up and the donut hole looming large for many recipients.

Murphy says there are options to lessen the financial burden.“Some ways around paying for that is applying for more help for prescription drugs

or through the Medicare Savings Program,” he said.Medigap can supplement the 20 percent Medicare doesn’t cover, and is a program

that Rhode Islanders should seek out as soon as they become eligible for Medicare.Recipients can do much of the work themselves on the Medicare website, or can seek

assistance from the dozens of SHIP offices around Rhode Island.That’s particularly important, Murphy added, for individuals who are facing the

Part D coverage gap known as the donut hole. The amount of out-of-pocket expenses recipients potentially pay before they reach the “catastrophic” threshold at the other side of the donut hole has gone up by approximately $200. In response, those who enter the donut hole will automatically get a $250 check in the mail.

“It’s definitely important for people to know that they don’t have to do anything to generate that check,” Murphy warned, explaining that scammers are preying on Medi-

H care recipients by implying the $250 is only distributed after giving out personal finan-cial information.

Once out of the donut hole, recipients can breathe a sigh of relief.“Once they hit that catastrophic mark, they only have to pay 5 percent of the total

drug costs,” Murphy said.In the future, more options are on the horizon. RIPAY cards are valid through

2011, and Blue Cross is now offering a new high-risk pool for people who haven’t had insurance for the last six months and have one of 34 chronic conditions.

And as more chances come, Murphy says Medicare recipients have resources to lean on.

Senior HeAlTH inSurAnCe proGrAM SiTeSBarrington Senior Center: 247-1926Central Falls Ralph J. Holden Community Center: 727-7425Coventry Senior Center: 822-9175Cranston Senior Services: 461-1000East Providence Senior Center: 435-7800Johnston Senior Center: 944-3343Lincoln Senior Center: 724-2000North Kingstown Senior Center: 268-1590North Providence, Salvatore Mancini Center: 231-0742Pawtucket Leon Mathieu Senior Center: 728-7582 Portsmouth Senior Center: 683-7943Providence DaVinci Center: 272-7474 Hamilton House: 831-1800 Lillian Feinstein Center: 455-3888 St. Martin dePorres Center: 274-6783 Westminster Senior Center: 274-6900 Smithfield Senior Center: 949-4590

South Kingstown The Center: 789-0268 Tiverton Senior Center: 625-6790Warwick Pilgrim Senior Center: 468-4500 Westbay SHIP: 732-4666 ext. 151

Westerly Senior Center: 596-2404Woonsocket RSVP: 766-2300

health and wellness


n a Monday morning at the East Side Y in Provi-dence, “Hello Dolly” segues into “Happy Days are Here Again” as a dozen people sit on chairs,

watching Lisa St. Denis for instructions. The exercisers stretch their arms - up, sideways, across - with elastic bands.

The music shifts, and the dozen walk around the room, dribbling a small ball, first with the left hand, then the right, then both hands.

Another shift: everybody does deep knee bends as they circle the room. Then back to the chair, for more stretching. Then balance time - standing on one foot, then the next. Now around the room again - this time exercisers press fingers into small rubber balls.

By now Frank Sinatra is crooning from the CD. Some people are singing along. At the end of a very quick 45 minutes, Lisa leads the class in a soothing few minutes of deep breathing.

Everybody catches up on family news, says goodbye and plans to meet Wednesday, for another Silver Sneak-ers session (this one under the guidance of Toba Wein-traub), or on Friday, for Silver Sneakers chair yoga.

All the bromides for healthy aging preach exercise. People should use their muscles, build up strength and increase endurance. And if you have asthma, arthritis, diabetes...exercise will help you gain control.

Yet many people have never exercised. When they reach age 65, they may have never entered a gym. And most gyms can be daunting for a 60-something new-comer. Classes cater to people seeking intense work-

outs. In a regular aerobics or weights class, 20, 30, and 40-somethings are jumping, jogging and hoisting heavy weights, to a fast-paced beat.

Even regular yoga classes can be daunting for older newcomers. But in Silver Sneakers yoga, John Fazzino, who teaches regular yoga at the Y and runs his own studio in Cranston, leads participants, seated in chairs, through doable basic positions, incorporating deep breathing.

Silver Sneakers classes are designed for older people. Half the participants, nationally, have never exercised when they enroll.

The program began 17 years ago when Mary Swanson watched her father, then in his early 50s, recover from a heart attack. The physician told him if he didn’t alter his lifestyle, incorporating daily exercise, he would have another heart attack. Her father joined a gym, exercised daily and lived to age 87.

Mary recognized the astounding benefits of exercise, but just as crucially, she recognized how hard it was for him to do this without support.

Her conclusion was both simple and exciting. Just about everybody who qualifies as “senior,” would benefit from exercise. Why not design classes for older people, focusing on range of motion, balance, breathing, strength and flexibility?

Today, Silver Sneakers markets a tested series of class-es to health insurers. The payback to insurers is money: healthier enrollees cost less. One estimate is that diabetic members had 29 percent fewer hospital visits after join-ing. Another estimate suggests that frequent-exercisers spend an average of $2,141 annually less on health care.

Silver Sneakers classes take place at YMCAs, private gyms and Community Centers. The insurers will subsi-dize (sometimes it is free) the enrollee’s membership at the gym. In addition, any member of the gym can partici-pate in Silver Sneakers classes. Nationally, Silver Sneak-ers classes are offered in 10,000 locations. Locally, Silver Sneakers are offered at the YMCAs, in addition to a few private gyms.

True to all the bromides, exercise works. John Fazzino in just a year has seen improvements in participants’ bal-ance and flexibility. Participant Barbara Brosofsky finds the level “challenging but not exhausting. Just about right.”

For more information, call 480-444-5400, or visit www.silversneakers.com.

O

PEOPLE and PLaCESDoer’S profile b y J O A N R E T S I N A S

Silver Sneakers


PEOPLE and PLaCESA GliMpSe of ri’S pAST h i s t o r y w i t h d o n d ’ a m at o

What William Spraque Left Behinduring the 1830s, textile industry pioneers William Sprague II, the miller, and his son, William III, the mechanic, became involved in a strong anti-Masonic political movement. For reasons more political than moral, according to some

historians, much of Rhode Island turned against the Masons. The feeling escalated when William Morgan was allegedly kidnapped, and perhaps murdered, for threaten-ing to disclose “Masonic secrets.” Fanned by the winds of panic and opportunism, many politicians and newspaper owners called for the end of Free Masonry.

The Spragues were brought into the political arena in 1832 when they became dissatisfied with the stand taken by Governor Lemuel H. Arnold and his chief rival, James Fenner. By this time, William II was a very wealthy and powerful man and de-cided to use his influence against the Masons by running for governor.

THE SPOILERIn the early 19th century, a majority of votes, not a plurality as is needed today,

was necessary to get elected. As the anti-Masonic candidate, Sprague was able to upset the election results and focus more attention on the movement to deprive the Masons of their charters. In the first election in 1832, there were 5,594 votes cast, with 2,789 needed for election. No one received the majority of votes for the offices of governor, lieutenant governor or senator. As there was no winner, another election was called for on May 16, 1832. Again, no one received the majority. Finally, at the January session in 1833, it was agreed that those who had been in office in 1831 would continue in office until the next election in May 1833.

JOHN BROWN fRANCISSprague was never close to being elected, as the greatest number of votes he received

was 976 in the special election on Aug. 28. He did succeed, however, in influencing legislation against the Masons and kept Governor Arnold from re-election. In 1833, John Brown Francis of Warwick successfully challenged Arnold and became governor. Francis was re-elected annually until 1838 when he was defeated by William Sprague III, the son of his earlier rival.

john brown francis, sometimes an opponent, sometimes supporter of the sprague family in the political scene.

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A BIzARRE fATALITYThe death of William Sprague II

came in a manner not inconsistent with his lifestyle. According to Cranston historian Harold M. Taylor, in 1836, a small spare-ribs bone became lodged in Sprague’s throat. Taylor, a bit impressed that Sprague had spareribs for break-fast, tells us that despite the pain and discomfort, the remarkable Sprague “left the table, harnessed the black mare, and drove to Providence for medical aid.” Taylor says the surgeon wanted to re-move the bone by opening the neck but Sprague, “rug-ged individualist that he was, wouldn’t hear of it...” He in-sisted that the doctor force the bone down into his stomach. The doctor complied with Sprague’s demands.

Unfortunately, inflammation set in and, Taylor tells us, “the founder of the Sprague dynasty died at home March 28, 1836.” He was 63 years of age.

THE A. & W. SPRAGUE COMPANYWilliam Sprague II left the bulk of his fortune and business to his sons, Amasa and

William. They renamed the business, calling it the A. & W. Sprague Company and continued to increase the family wealth and power. Amasa was the senior partner and supervised the Print Works, continuing to improve the dyes used in calico printing. Amasa and his wife, Fanny Morgan, lived in the Mansion, and it was here that their two sons were born. Amasa’s brother William continued as superintendent of the mills in the village of Natick, purchased a large farm in the vicinity and built his home there. The brothers worked well together and thanks to a number of factors, both locally and nationally, they prospered, expanding in 1840. In 1843, however, the steady rise of the family was disrupted by the brutal murder of Amasa Sprague.

The story of the A. & W. Sprague Company and of its owners will be continued. ■

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For more information, please contact Jane Korb at 401.765.3700 x293 or email [email protected].

Shared Living You Never Dreamed of Being Paid for Sharing Your Life


PEOPLE and PLaCES

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~ OSCIL ~This is the “Prime Time” to give us a call!

A resource center promoting access for people with disabilities.

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Food&drinkfeelinG THe flAvor b y M A T T H O L M E S

A Passion for foodcommon saying by professional chefs to young cooks is, “If you don’t love it, you’ll never make it.”

Our truth is that we usually work 80 or more hours a week, are usually under-appreciated by our bosses, neglect our own friends and family for the job, and the

wear and tear drives many of us to an early grave from our own vices. We toil in hot kitchens and rarely hear of guests’ raves from the waiters, yet hear all of the negative opinions. No one ever calls or e-mails positive experiences when dining out anymore, but Lord help me if an order of fries got cold. The life of a working chef is physically, men-tally and emotionally draining. The only thing that keeps us going at times - is the love.

Celebrity chefs and poorly produced cooking shows have given the public the wrong vision of what a chef is. Kids graduate from culinary school and declare themselves chefs.

Most of them can tell me how to make beurre blanc, but can’t produce it. Those that can, will either take half a day to do it (while getting nothing else done) or have worked in a professional kitchen and “get it.”

The greatest chefs enjoy teaching as much as they love food. I love to teach.I recently fired a young man of 20 years old. I’ve known him, mentored him, and

was his boss for four years. He has great potential, but sometimes life’s lessons need to be taught. This is a lesson any person heading to culinary should read. When I turned 30, my wife Meg and I went to Chicago to catch a Bulls game, see “Wicked” and check out the city. We went to Carnivale for dinner. I heard it had great French food, for those of you who really know me, that’s kind of my thing. I walked in and was skeptical after seeing the modern circus-like decor. The hostess saw my reaction and asked what was wrong. I told her I was a chef on vacation looking for great French food. She told me to sit and I wouldn’t be disappointed. She told the chef, Mark Mendez, what I had said. The meal that followed was one of the best of my life, and inspired me. The letter below is also his work...and with it he becomes a personal hero of mine. His words describe my life now, both good and bad. He understands and puts into words my career.

Open letter to a culinary student from Mark Mendez, Executive Chef, Carnivale, Chicago:

I am angry, so forgive me if I rant. You gave notice after only two weeks on the job and then didn’t show up the next day and really screwed me. I know why you quit; it was hard work, harder than you thought it was going to be. The funny thing is, you worked an easy station and never even worked on a busy night. Funny, right? The sad thing is you don’t even know how hard it really is, or what it truly means to be a line cook. It’s not all your fault; they didn’t really prepare you for this in cooking school, did they? They didn’t warn you that being a great chef requires, first, being a great cook. They didn’t tell you about the sacrifices you have to make, the hard work, the hours, the dedication, the commitment, the lack of sleep, the constant abuse of the sous chef. They didn’t warn you. You thought you would graduate from school and be like Thomas Keller in a couple years; that’s all it should take right? I know, I know, learning how to use your knife, make a great stock, or learning how to properly blanch vegetables is boring. It’s cooler to work sauté station or grill. I’m too old school anyway – no immersion circulators, no foams, no cutesy plates, no paco-jet – boring really. Who wants to learn how to properly sharpen a knife or butcher a fish? So boring and tedious.

Well, I need to tell you a few things. One day, just maybe, you will be a chef some-where. You will need to train and motivate the people who work for you – guide them, lead them, teach them and inspire them. One day you will spend more time looking at

a profit and loss statement than you do your station. You will miss prepping your station, making a sauce, butchering a piece of meat, even sharpening your knife. You will spend time in marketing meetings, staff meetings, partners meetings, vendor meetings – all kinds of meetings. You will spend more time in the front of house than you really want to; spend time outside of the kitchen promoting your restaurant, give interviews, agonize over food and labor costs, kiss your wife goodbye while she sleeps because you have to be at the restaurant early for some insane reason, and somewhere in there make sure you are serving tasty food. You will miss weddings, birthday parties, graduations and all kinds of things. You will alienate your friends and family because you don’t write or call enough. There are no sick days, personal days, breaks; this is not like a 9 to 5 job, so get over it.

Get ready for years of sacrifice, hard work and stress. Learn as much as you can. Read everything, ask questions, write things down, save your money and eat at other restau-rants. Show up to work early and offer to stay late, come to work on your day off just to learn how to make pastry or hone butcher skills. Taste everything you can, over and over, and ask the chef so many questions he gets annoyed. Take care of yourself and sleep as much as you can and skip after work drug/liquor binging, so you wake up ready and on time. Travel and experience another culture. Eat their food and learn to speak their lan-guage. Learn to appreciate the time you have right now. Enjoy the ride, the process, don’t be in a hurry to be a sous chef or make a lot of money. It’s not about that and it never will be unless you are extremely talented and lucky. There is only one Ferran Adria or Thomas Keller, or Grant Achatz, and they all have worked extremely hard to get where they are and continue to do so.

Enjoy everything that comes with this life; embrace it, learn to thrive on it. One day, when you are an executive chef or chef/owner, there will be an epiphany so powerful you will have to sit down. You will understand everything every chef or sous chef yelled at you. You will understand why we work how we do. You will understand why our profes-sion is so wonderful, so unique, and it will hit you hard. I can’t tell when or where this will happen but I promise you, it will if you work hard and keep your head down and do what your chef tells you. So keep this in mind when I give you a hard time and push you, criticize you and refuse that day off request. Maybe the next job you have you will suck it up instead of leaving them short a line cook on a busy night.

The point is, being a chef isn’t about glamour or fame. Like any other career, you need to take steps to get to where you want. But be careful what you wish for. Sometimes love isn’t enough, and enjoying cooking doesn’t translate into a career. But without the love or understanding of feeling the flavor, you’ll never make it. ■

A

Years of loud music catching up with you?

Glass AudiologyJodi L. Glass, Au.D.

Doctor of Audiologycomplete hearing & hearing aid services statewide

We Still Make HouSe CallS!401-575-9951 • [email protected]

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A BIzARRE fATALITYThe death of William Sprague II

came in a manner not inconsistent with his lifestyle. According to Cranston historian Harold M. Taylor, in 1836, a small spare-ribs bone became lodged in Sprague’s throat. Taylor, a bit impressed that Sprague had spareribs for break-fast, tells us that despite the pain and discomfort, the remarkable Sprague “left the table, harnessed the black mare, and drove to Providence for medical aid.” Taylor says the surgeon wanted to re-move the bone by opening the neck but Sprague, “rug-ged individualist that he was, wouldn’t hear of it...” He in-sisted that the doctor force the bone down into his stomach. The doctor complied with Sprague’s demands.

Unfortunately, inflammation set in and, Taylor tells us, “the founder of the Sprague dynasty died at home March 28, 1836.” He was 63 years of age.

THE A. & W. SPRAGUE COMPANYWilliam Sprague II left the bulk of his fortune and business to his sons, Amasa and

William. They renamed the business, calling it the A. & W. Sprague Company and continued to increase the family wealth and power. Amasa was the senior partner and supervised the Print Works, continuing to improve the dyes used in calico printing. Amasa and his wife, Fanny Morgan, lived in the Mansion, and it was here that their two sons were born. Amasa’s brother William continued as superintendent of the mills in the village of Natick, purchased a large farm in the vicinity and built his home there. The brothers worked well together and thanks to a number of factors, both locally and nationally, they prospered, expanding in 1840. In 1843, however, the steady rise of the family was disrupted by the brutal murder of Amasa Sprague.

The story of the A. & W. Sprague Company and of its owners will be continued. ■

An annual ri traditionThe Scituate Art Festival has been a staple for Rhode Islanders since 1967. Hundreds of artists and professional crafters from the United States and Canada will converge on Scituate’s Village Green, on Route 116 between Danielson and Hartford Pikes. www.scituateartfestival.org.

CAlenDAr of evenTS

Get in the spooky spiritThe annual Jack O’Lantern Spectacular will take over Roger Williams Park Zoo from Oct. 7 to 31 from 6 to 11 p.m. Ad-mission is $12 for adults and $10 for se-niors, $9 for children ages 3 to 12. free for children under 3. Open nightly, and lines begin to form early. www.rwpzoo.org


liFestYlesGAY & GrAY b y C Y N T H I A G L I N I C K

The Journey OutM

y grandfather’s memories about growing up in lower Manhattan now live within me as a faded anachronistic journey of slide-

show-type images: the horse-drawn wagon carrying huge, sweating blocks of ice, clat-tering over a hot, cobblestone street; the stripling boy with his friends diving off the docks of the South Street Seaport; the smoky, darkened, mysterious German the-ater into which they slipped unobserved. Vivid as they might be, these are only my isolated, iconoclastic recollections. It’s too bad I didn’t record his stories, but I guess it takes someone smarter than I, and some-one who is also a historian, to think of these things. Luckily for Rhode Island we have that someone, in fact, two someone’s. Ste-phen Pennell and Frank V. Toti Jr.

The idea to capture that type of personal history began six years ago while attending New York’s Gay Pride. Stephen, coordina-tor for Arts and Culture at URI’s Feinstein Providence campus, and his partner Frank, a well-established historian and playwright, saw the trolley that carried some of the peo-ple who were at Stonewall on the night of the fated event that set off a maelstrom of other events leading to the gay revolution. What was it like for them? What was it like for anyone in those early days? The prover-

bial light bulb came on and put in motion an oral history project of Rhode Island’s old-er LGBTQ community from the 1950s to the present. With support from the Rhode Island Foundation’s Equity Action Fund, the R.I. Committee for the Humanities and URI’s Student Government Board, Stephen and Frank have so far managed to garner more than 75 transcribed oral histories, which will be permanently housed in the URI Library Special Collection Archive.

“The stories are varied, touching, poi-gnant and educational. If we don’t gather them, if we don’t tell the stories, then peo-ple can’t know what’s changed,” said Frank. “Or what hasn’t changed over the years and why it hasn’t changed.”

“It’s important for our gay youth to have these stories,” added Stephen, “because they can’t say ‘Grandpa, what was it like when you came out?’ They have media images and they have pop-culture icons now, but they still may not have that personal connection - someone to talk to. These stories are part of history and it’s their legacy.”

This landmark achievement is also part of the Fall Arts and Culture Program at the URI Feinstein Providence campus. October being National Coming Out Month, it is dedicated to the lives of people who identify as lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, trans-gendered or queer (LGBTQ).

Let’s imagine for a moment what their lives might have been like: we are in a room with two brothers; both gay and who have lived isolated lives, distant from each oth-er. It’s 1982. The older one is dying of a frightening disease called AIDS. The other, younger brother comes to him. He cannot help his brother, but because of the experi-ence, he is able to save himself. The room becomes the platform of a train station. It’s 1965. A young man stands in the shadows. He’s been run out of his hometown because he is gay and is now homeless and “work-ing” the Providence train station. A 40-year-old man approaches him. He nervous-ly looks around to see if anyone’s watching. He has recently come out to himself but not to his wife and teenage children. How does he hold onto his family life while try-ing to navigate this new one? At the end of the platform an older woman struggles with her luggage. Raised in a strict, religious family during the 1940s, she had no real options but to become a wife and mother. A grandmother now, she pushes through the entrance to find herself standing in a classroom. Her neighbor, the woman she’s secretly loved for over 60 years, is a college professor and is lucky enough to have been accepted by her peers. With one hand she takes the luggage and her lover’s hand with

the other. They walk out together. These, of course, are just my simple

musings. For the real thing, attend the highlight of the month-long activities, the premier of Frank V. Toti Jr.’s original play, “The Journey Out,” inspired by situations and people found in the histories collected for the archives.

“The Journey Out” is free and open to the public and will be presented on Oct. 22 and 23 at 7:30 p.m. and Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. in the URI Feinstein Providence campus auditorium. During the entire month in the Campus Gallery are the works of pro-fessional artists from the LGBTQ commu-nity and their supporters, entitled “COM-ING OUT: The Art & Politics of Gender & Sexuality.” Mixed media pieces will ex-plore sexuality and gender identity and the revolutionary action of coming out. The Gallery is located in the first and second floor lobbies. A Gallery Night Reception will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 21. URI Feinstein Providence is lo-cated at 80 Washington St.

My grandfather and his stories are long gone, but thanks to Stephen and Frank, our stories will now live forever and hope-fully help affirm someone else’s journey out. ■


liFestYles THAT’S enTerTAinMenT b y D O N F O W L E R liFestYles

y first impression of Mystic Aquarium: a great place for a family outing…and that it is.

We first took our young children to the nearby Connecticut attraction back in the ’70s, only a few years after it had opened. We returned to Mystic this summer to get the senior citizen perspective, and were amazed at the growth of the facility more than 35 years later.

Most importantly, Mystic Aquarium is senior-friendly.There are benches everywhere, opportunities to rent motorized wheelchairs or use

their free regular wheelchairs, plus convenient elevators, ramps, handicapped seating and senior admission prices.

People with disabilities or special needs desiring assistance during their visit may do so in advance or see a Guest Services staff member upon arrival.

The average visitor spends over two and a half hours visiting the indoor and outdoor exhibits, taking in one or more special shows, and stopping for a rest or a snack.

You could spend days taking everything in, such as the videos, lectures and hands-on exhibits spread over 18 acres…and still growing. Currently there are over 70 exhib-its, featuring over 340 live species, and close to 5,000 specimens, ranging from huge Beluga whales to tiny jellyfish.

There is a major Rhode Island connection with the University of Rhode Island’s Dr. Robert Ballard and the Challenge of the Deep exhibition, which is a major edu-cational facility and cultural resource. I recommend devoting an entire day to this popular exhibit.

You cannot only follow Ballard “live” on his expeditions; you can also see some of his astounding discoveries that have been featured on the news and National Geo-graphic TV specials.

The Main Exhibit floor houses all of the Aquarium’s fish and invertebrates exhibits. At the center is the Shark Encounter, where you can touch the backs of white-spotted bamboo sharks. The 30,000-gallon Coral Reef allows viewing from above and below water level, filled with colorful tropical fish, Moray eels, and 30 types of manmade coral.

Another large tank features stingrays and sharks; another, moray eels and barra-

MYSTIC AqUARIUM: A Paradise for Seniorscuda. There’s a popular Discovery Lab, where you can pick up a crab, lobster, sea star and other sea creatures. Most fascinating is the Mermaid’s Purse, where you can watch shark, skate and ray embryos develop and hatch. A new exhibit features six varieties of “jellies.” Hopefully, this exhibit will grow to include more of the larger species of jellyfish.

Don’t miss the Sea Lion Show, held in the 1,200-seat Marine Theatre, with special hand-

icapped and senior seating areas. It is fun, and it is very educational.One of our favorites was the Penguin Encounters, where you see the friendly crea-

tures up close. The Beluga whale exhibit is more than an acre in size, with viewing areas encircling it. It is built to reflect the actual Arctic natural habitat.

Walking is easy from one exhibit to the next. An easy-to-read map takes you through shaded paths, beautifully landscaped, and wide enough for wheelchairs.

One of the paths leads you through a marshland and a butterfly garden. This is a perfect time to slow down and look, finding frogs among lily pads and turtles sunning on logs.

All of the areas have “interpreters,” who give brief overviews of the inhabitants and their environments, and then patiently answer questions. You are certain to hit at least one feeding time during your visit.

We were treated to an overview of the Aquarium by Marketing Coordinator Cas-sandra H. Meyer-Ogren of Hope Valley, who is one of the over 175 employees. There are also many volunteers, and like the mentors at Roger Williams Park Zoo, many are senior citizens.

We walked away from our exciting visit realizing that a trip to Mystic is much more than a walk in the park. Mystic is a living, active, educational, entertaining experience.

Cassandra explained that the Mystic Aquarium has a definite mission of Sea Re-search to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration. With its connection to Ballard and URI, it is on the cutting edge of the oceanography world. And it’s right in our backyard, less than an hour from Providence. At the very least, spend a morning or afternoon in Mystic. Take your time enjoying the many exhibits, shows, videos and the pure beauty of the area.

You may wish to become a member and get free admission and other benefits. Their membership information number is 1-860-572-5955 ext. 233.

The aquarium is open March to October from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., November from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and December to February from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Regular admission is $28. Seniors (65 and older) are $25. Children (3 to 17) are $20. There are group rates with advance registration.

There are a variety of membership rates, which are great if you plan to return a number of times. There is so much to see, plus changing exhibits, that you could go a couple of times a month and not see it all. Family or grandparent membership is $169. Single grandparent membership is $139. There are more options worth explor-ing. For more information, call 1-860-572-5955, or check them out online at www.mysticaquarium.org. ■

M

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on busInessspotlighton busInessspotlight

Years of loud music catching up with you?

Glass AudiologyJodi L. Glass, Au.D.

Doctor of Audiologycomplete hearing & hearing aid services statewide

We Still Make HouSe CallS!401-575-9951 • [email protected]

www.glassaudiology.com

Glass Audiologycan help you better hear

the world around youRemember the cell phone commercial some years back

that gave rise to many a joke with the words “can you hear me now?” We all dutifully chuckled, but the fact of the matter is that for most of us hearing loss is no laughing matter. Presbycusis is the third most commonly reported problem for people aged 65 and older, and while it is part and parcel of our natural aging process it doesn’t mean that it also has to be a problem or even an inconvenience.

Advances in health care and technology have put to-day’s hearing aids light years ahead of the clunky devices of yesteryear. There are now digital microcomputers that can automatically adjust to your surroundings, ensuring that sounds are audible and comfortable. Hearing aids cannot be prescribed like eyeglasses. Proper hearing assessment, fitting and adjustment of a hearing device is essential and since traveling can also be an inconvenience, there is an expert in the field who will come to you, Dr. Jodi Glass of Glass Audiology.

In practice for over thirty years, Dr. Glass is well ac-quainted with the varied needs of her clientele. “The key to my approach,” explains Dr. Glass, “is the understanding that each person has his or her own personal needs and

preferences. Visiting my clients wherever they reside is much less stressful on them and that can sometimes make all the difference.” Priding herself on the belief that everyone should be approached on his or her own terms, Dr. Glass is able to evaluate, dispense and provide support for anyone experiencing hearing loss. “I want to help my clients live a better life. I try to give them as many options as possible, and I will always work within their budget.”

Glass Audiology is able to provide a wide range of services including comprehensive hearing evaluations, rehabilitation, prevention of hearing loss and the latest cutting edge technology in hearing aids, assisted listening devices, and hearing protection. For your ease and comfort these can be performed in your home or office, an independent or assisted living situation, a senior center or group home. Dr. Glass’s professional as-sociations include the Meeting Street Center, Eleanor Slater Hospitals, Rhode Island School for the Deaf and the Newborn Hearing Screening program at Women and In-fants Hospital, and is also a member of the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) and the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA)

Whether you have parents or a family member experiencing hearing loss or you yourself are a “boomer” finding it difficult following conversations, Dr. Glass is local, professional and ready to answer your questions, address your concerns and above all increase your quality of life by restoring your ability to hear the world around you.

For more information or to schedule an appointment call 401-575-9951 or fax 401-272-4295. Visit Glass Audiology online at www.glassaudiology.com.

Dr. Jodi Glass of Glass Audiology, provides a wide range of hearing-related services that can be performed in the comfort and con-venience of your own home.

October 2010 PrimeTime | 27

Your TAxeS b y M E G C H E v A L I E R

proFessional perspective

Cutting health care costsIf you itemize your deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A you may be able to deduct

expenses you paid this year for medical care (including dental) for yourself, your spouse and your dependents. A deduction is allowed only for expenses primarily paid for the prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness. Medical care expenses include payments for the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease, or treatment affecting any structure or function of the body. The cost of drugs is deduct-ible only for drugs that require a prescription, except for insulin.

Medical expenses may include fees paid to doctors, dentists, surgeons, chiropractors, psychiatrists, psychologists and Christian Science practitioners. Also included are pay-ments for hospital services, qualified long-term care services, nursing services and labo-ratory fees. Payments for acupuncture treatments or inpatient treatment at a center for alcohol or drug addiction are also deductible medical expenses.

You may include amounts you paid for participating in a smoking-cessation program and for drugs prescribed to alleviate nicotine withdrawal. However, you may not deduct amounts paid for nicotine gum and nicotine patches, which do not require a prescription. You may deduct the cost of participating in a weight-loss program for a specific disease or diseases, including obesity, diagnosed by a physician. In general, you may not deduct the cost of purchasing diet food items or the cost of health club dues.

In addition, you may include expenses for admission and transportation to a medical conference relating to the chronic disease of yourself, your spouse, or your dependent (if the costs are primarily for and essential to the medical care). However, you may not deduct the costs for meals and lodging while attending the medical conference.

The cost of items such as false teeth, prescription eyeglasses or contact lenses, laser eye surgery, hearing aids, crutches, wheelchairs and guide dogs for the blind or deaf are deductible medical expenses. You may not deduct funeral or burial expenses, over-the-counter medicines, toothpaste, toiletries, cosmetics, a trip or program for the general improvement of your health or most cosmetic surgery.

You may deduct transportation costs primarily for and essential to medical care that qualify as medical expenses. The actual fare for a taxi, bus, train or ambulance can be deducted. If you use your car for medical transportation, you can deduct actual out-of-pocket expenses such as gas and oil, or you can deduct the standard mileage rate for medi-cal expenses. With either method you may include tolls and parking fees. You may in-clude in medical expenses, the incidental cost of meals and lodging charged by a hospital or similar institution if your principal reason for being there is to receive medical care.

Medical expenses include insurance premiums paid for medical care or qualified long-term care insurance. You may not deduct insurance premiums for life insurance, for policies providing for loss of wages because of illness or injury, or policies that pay you a guaranteed amount each week for a sickness. In addition, the deduction for a qualified long-term care insurance policy’s premium is limited.

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance reflecting statutory changes regarding the use of certain tax-favored arrangements, such as flexible spending arrange-ments (FSAs), to pay for over-the-counter medicines and drugs.

Under the new standard, the cost of an over-the-counter medicine or drug cannot be reimbursed from the account unless a prescription is obtained. The change does not af-fect insulin, even if purchased without a prescription, or other health care expenses such as medical devices, eye glasses, contact lenses, co-pays and deductibles. The new standard applies only to purchases made on or after Jan. 1, 2011, so claims for medicines or drugs purchased without a prescription in 2010 can still be reimbursed in 2011, if allowed by the employer’s plan.

Refer to Publication 502, Medical and Dental Expenses for additional information. ■

free Senior event The Rhode Island Chapter of the National Aging in Place Council presents RI Senior Expo on Thursday, October 14 from 10am-12 pm at the Johnston Senior Center, 1291 Hartford Avenue, Johnston. Learn about what The RI Chapter of the Na-tional Aging in Place Council can do to help you Age in Place. Pre-registration required by Friday, October 8 2010. Call 401-658-1005 or [email protected]. Space is limited.

Going green The Ryan Center in Kingston will host the Rhode Island Green Home and Living Show on Oct. 9 & 10, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. $8 for adults, $6 for seniors & military. Kids under 13 free. The event will feature practical solutions for reducing energy bills. 429-6114 or www.greenhomean-dlivingshows.com.

CAlenDAr of evenTS


CLUES ACROSS 1. Therapeutic resort 4. Kilometers per hour 7. Women’s undergarment10. Afflicts12. Geological times14. House title (abbr.)15. Hints17. Type genus of the Ranidae18. Tool handle19. About blood20. Muscat is the capital21. 7th Hindu month22. Our star23. Wife of Saturn25. A European Soviet27. WomenÕs briefs30. Islands31. No. French river32. Tax collector33. Author ErnestÕs moniker39. Distant40. Cr_____logy: police studies41. Smart _____: annoyingly clever44. Bar-rooms47. New Army enlistee50. Can be cut or cabochon51. Tributary of the Rhine53. Not Mama54. Actor ___ Malek56. Metrical foot58. Long nerve fiber59. Tehran is the capital60. Advertising awards61. Go for and obtain62. Withered and dry63. Small social insects64. Point midway between E and SE65. Comedian Ceasar66. Young women’s association

CLUES DOWN 1. Meistersinger author Hans 2. 3 car + collision 3 One who has a degree 4. Lamp fuel 5. A baby carriage 6. Grimm brothers birthplace 7. Capital after Rio 8. Plant for purifying a crude substance 9. Appositeness11. 3rd largest rorqual13. Dropped below the surface16. Nova ______, province18. Most common CA avocado24. Bird call used by birders26. Rhode Island28. Small sleep29. Slang for big trucks 33. Axes for cattle slaughter34. Short account of an incident35. Formed a mental picture36. WorldÕs longest river37. About gnome38. Romance39. Total cloth purchased42. North Sea fishing unit of measurement43. Kings unit45. Supplying a moniker46. Wooden shoes48. Goddess of the rainbow49. Vetches grown for forage52. Kittiwake genus55. Ancient city in Syria57. Winglike structure

P r i m e T i m e _ M a g a z i n e

seniore x P oLiving

Thank You !to ouR exHiBitoRs

aND a sPecial

Thank Youto ouR sPoNsoRs:

AARP RI State OfficeAlbion Court of LincolnAlzheimer’s Cure FoundationArthritis FoundationBlue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode IslandCapitol Region RSVP/Federal Hill HouseCCAP Comprehensive Community Action ProgramCedar Crest Subacute & Rehabilitation CentreCenter for Preventive MedicineCharm Medical SupplyCherry Hill Manor Nursing & RehabCity of Warwick, Senior Services, Pilgrim Senior CenterCortland Place Senior Living CommunityCranston Senior ServicesFoxwoods Resort CasinoGlass AudiologyHamilton House Senior CenterHeritage Hills Nursing CenterHomeCare AdvantageHorizon Bay Senior CommunitiesIndependence HomeHealthWaresInterim HealthcareKent HospitalKeys to FunKorean War Veterans - Chapter 3Law Office of Edward McCormick IIILeon Mathieu Senior CenterLincoln ChiropracticMAS Home Care of Rhode IslandMassage Envy

Meals on Wheels of RI/NE Emergency Response SystemsNational Aging in Place Council-RI ChapterNational Kidney FoundationNewport GrandOcean State Center for Independent LivingPACE HealthcarePharmacy Outreach Diabetes Program - URIPharmacy Outreach Program - URIPhoenix Property Management, Inc.PrimeTime MagazineQuality Partners of Rhode IslandRhode Island Kitchen & BathRhode Island Silver Haired LegislatorRI CollegeRI Department of Elderly AffairsRI Forum on AgingRI Housing and Mortgage Finance Corp.Roger Williams Medical CenterSaint Elizabeth CommunitySaranna Home CareSeniors Rule!SNAPSocial Security AdministrationSouth County Nursing & RehabilitationSt. Martin de Porres Senior CenterThe Gray Panthers of Rhode IslandThe Homestead GroupUnited Methodist Elder Care CommunitiesUniversity OtolaryngologyWaterview Villa Nursing & Rehabilitation CenterWestbay Community Action

October 2010 PrimeTime | 29

CLUES DOWN 1. Meistersinger author Hans 2. 3 car + collision 3 One who has a degree 4. Lamp fuel 5. A baby carriage 6. Grimm brothers birthplace 7. Capital after Rio 8. Plant for purifying a crude substance 9. Appositeness11. 3rd largest rorqual13. Dropped below the surface16. Nova ______, province18. Most common CA avocado24. Bird call used by birders26. Rhode Island28. Small sleep29. Slang for big trucks 33. Axes for cattle slaughter34. Short account of an incident35. Formed a mental picture36. WorldÕs longest river37. About gnome38. Romance39. Total cloth purchased42. North Sea fishing unit of measurement43. Kings unit45. Supplying a moniker46. Wooden shoes48. Goddess of the rainbow49. Vetches grown for forage52. Kittiwake genus55. Ancient city in Syria57. Winglike structure

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Only $30/mo.(3 month commitment)

Call Sue

732-3100

painting

JJJ Painting& Power Washing

Interior/Exterior_Painting_&_StainingJason Cardilli 401-257-5801

RI Reg. #28233 • References

Ask_about_ourquality_guarantee

PoWeRWasHesstart at $10000

Residential/Commercial

Licensed& Insured

home improvements

K.F.G.C o n c r e t e

Patios, Walkways, Stairs, Driveways, Floors~ Decorative Stamp ~

chimney repairsALL MASONRY REPAIRS

No Job Too Small Kevin F. Gonsalves, Jr.(401) 269-1163 Reg. #25248

www.KFgconcrete.com

concrete

lanDscaping lanDscaping

100% Safe For

Children, Pets

and theEnvironment

A complete non-toxic pesticide-free repellant that kills on contact and repels mosquitos, ticks, fleas, gnats and black flies.

862-4593www.buggoffmosquito.com

BATHROOM SAFETY

Lowers the entry of your tubfrom feet to inches!

Call Greg Murphy 401-369-9133www.thestepthrutub.com

Licensed and Insured Reg#19271

Bathroom safety

SealcOaTingDriveways • Parking Lots

RoadwaysLandscape Construction

MaintenanceExcavation

569-1311RI Reg. #15629

J. Dimascio

ConstruCtion LLC

sealcoating

Ken RochaAuto Collision

serving You for over 32 Years

467-4800

auto BoDy

Free Pick-Up & DeliveryGuaranteed Loaner Car

R.I._Lic._#865

[email protected]

cement repair work

yarD-serviceLANDSCAPE EXPERTS INC.

RINLA Member26 Years

Commercial & ResidentialLic. #12161

• Lawn Cutting • Landscape Construction• Tree Work • Landscape Renovations• Mulching • Walkways & Patios Installed• Shrub Trimming & Removal • Stump Grinding• High Grass & Brush Cutting • Masonry Work

FREE ESTIMATES • InSuREd

CESARIOPAVING CO.

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIALESTABLISHEd 1950

ASPHALT PAVINGDRIVEWAYS & ROADWAYS & PARKING AREAS

Jim Cesario, Owner • Reg. #4541

739-4372 91 deerfield dr.warwick, riFRee estimates

• cement work• landscape construction

• excavating • Bluestone • loam & fill• Back Hoe • BoBcat • trucking service

asphalt paving

S. WillarDROOFING & REStORAtION

ALL tYPES OF ROOFING & REPAIRS

GuttERS INStALLED OR REPAIRED

Residential Commercial

Sean Insured

949-4440 RI Reg.#14074

custom carpentryBeatiful Decks, Stairs, Additions, Roofing,

Siding, Repairs, Sky-Lites, Formica, Cabinets, Bathrooms, Kitchens, Windows and Doors,

Remodeling, All Home ImprovementsCERtIFIED HOME INSPECtIONS

anthony DiVello782-5589

insured reg. 4925

carpentry

Kent County Sealcoat

residential • commercialcrack Filling • line Striping

401-736-8801Free estimates Reg. #19884 Jimmy Thibeault

sealcoating


ClASSifieDS

We asked our readers, “What EXTRAordinary results have you gotten from The Classifieds?”

They answered. “I cleaned out my garage &advertised several items for sale in PrimeTime

Magazine.I made over $600.00!”

- Mike Appleton

for classified advertisinginformation, contact Sue

[email protected]

DOWNSIZINGLarge collection of 45 RPMrecords in fair to mint. Also331/3 collection sets in mintcondition. Call after 6:30pm,356-1757.

G & R PLASTERING, INC.New homes, additions,repairs, ceiling patches.Licensed & insured. CallRuss 401-486-3283 or Gerald401-374-0974. Reg. #12230.

Appears in Tuesday Warwick Beacon,Thursday Cranston Herald and

PrimeTime Magazine

Please contact your sales representative for

advertising informationTel. 732-3100 Fax 732-3110

UrqUhart-MUrphyEdward L. Murphy - Director

800 Greenwich Ave.Warwick 737-3510

Barrett & CotterFUneral hoMe

Peter Barrett Cotter - Director1328 Warwick Avenue

Warwick 463-9000

Carpenter-JenksFUneral hoMe & CreMatoryStephen E. Carpenter - Director

659 East Greenwich Ave.West Warwick 826-1600

thoMas & Walter qUinnFUneral hoMe

Michael, Patrick, Jerome QuinnDirectors

2435 Warwick Ave.Warwick 738-1977

FuneralDirectors

A Lifetimeof AchievementDemands Protection

The most important decision of yourlife may be about your death.

It’s a subject few people enjoy talkingabout– especially when you’re youngand healthy.

Your WillA comparatively simple, legally bindingdocument, that ensures your assets godirectly to the people you choose, andthe people you care about.

797 BALD HILL RD.WARWICK, RI

(401) 821-1330Serving The PeopleFor Over 25 Years

The Rhode Island Supreme Court licenses all lawyers in thegeneral practice of law. The Court does not license or certify anylawyer as an expert or specialist in any field of practice.

ClASSifieDS

Friday, OctOber 15 • 6:30PMrhOdes on the Pawtuxet

claM cakes& ‘chOwda’ meet the

voice of

Rocky Point

Listen to TALES from former park employees

shOw yOur suPPOrt FOrissue 4

On thenOv. 2 ballOt

Preserve and protect the natural& historical heritage & environment of the land formerly occupied by the

Rocky Point AmusementPark for all to enjoy.

Tickets are available at the Warwick Beaconoffice, 1944 Warwick Ave., Warwick, theWarwick Museum of Art or online atgetthepoint.org

$15GET YOUR TICKETS...OnLY

Come seedISpLAYS &

vIdEO CLIpS fROmThE pARK!

ShARE YOUR Own STORIES . . .

Relive the good old days with clam cakes

& ‘chowda’, fun and memories!!

Souvenir ticketto everyone who

attends!

rally

october 2010 primetime

Documents

healthy life

joan retsinas

months doers profile

linda ciccone

healthy livingrhode

lisa mardenli

don fowler

don damato